1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a document management apparatus for managing the perusal and editing of documents, and a document management program storage medium for storing therein a document management program to manage the perusal and editing of documents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the advance of computer technology in the writing of documents, electronic documents are inputted through an operation of a keyboard, and the electronic documents now on writing (on inputting) are saved in the state of electronic documents per se. The electronic documents may be read out as the need arises to continue the writing (inputting) and/or proofreading. Further, it is widely performed that the completed document is also saved in the state of electronic documents per se.
It is possible that one document is created through sharing it among a plurality of persons. For instance, a volume of book is written by a plurality of persons in their cooperation, as it is considered that the writing work is performed in their cooperation in the state of electronic documents as mentioned above. In this case, there is a need to provide a protection so as to avoid such a situation that a document part, which is being preparing by a certain person or has been completed, is re-edited by another person. Alternatively, it may occur that it is not desired that a part of the document is read by other writers, for example, for the reason that such a part of the document is not yet completed.
As such, access to electronic documents established in the form of units of a single file is limited. In this case, even in a situation such that a certain writer or a certain editor is permitted in points of writing or editing on only a part of the electronic document, there arises the need to provide the writer or the editor with the access right for the electronic document in its entirety. Thus, unfortunately, such a system provides no assurance of security that any document parts except the document part permitted for the writer or the editor are not changed.
On the other hand, it may be considered that individual files are made up for document parts shared by the respective writers or the respective editors. In this case, there is associated with such a problem that it takes a great deal of time to construct the document in its entirety, and errors may easily occur.
Further, there has been proposed a scheme (Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Gazette Hei. 1-243172) in which an access right is established for area units in a memory device for storing documents, and thus even if one document is concerned, right of access is determined for each document part.
However, according to this scheme, since the access right is established in area units in the memory device, variations in length of document parts in writing or editing of a document can exceed the designated storage area for the document part or another document part in the memory device, and thus part of the accessible parts is not accessible. Therefore, this scheme is not practical.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a document management apparatus whereby one document is accessible by a plurality of persons, while suitable access rights are established for the plurality of persons, and a document management program storage medium for storing therein a document management program having a function of establishing suitable access rights for the plurality of persons.
To accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a document management apparatus comprising:
a storage unit for storing a structured document;
a display editing unit for receiving an accessor ID for obtaining right of accessing to the document, displaying the document, and performing an editing operation for the document;
access right setting up means for setting up right of accessing to the document by said display editing unit for each part of the document and for each accessor ID; and
access permitting means for permitting an access from said display editing unit on only structured parts of the document, for which permission of access is set up in accordance with the accessor ID entered through said display editing unit.
The present invention deals with a xe2x80x9cstructured document.xe2x80x9d A structured document, for example, is a document which may be partitioned into chapters, sections, paragraphs, etc. The above-referenced xe2x80x9cstructured partxe2x80x9d implies, when the document is partitioned into chapters, sections, paragraphs, etc., that each structured part is to be treated the same, even if it is subjected to variations in length or content.
According to the present invention, the structured document is treated and an access right is established for each structured part of the document. This feature makes it possible to suitably set up access rights on the respective parts of the document without using a plurality of files, and even if there are variations in lengths of the sentences of the respective parts of the document.
Further, according to the document management apparatus of the present invention, the access right for each structured part of the document is established for each accessor ID. This feature permits the accessors, who access to the documents, to access only parts of the document which are necessary for the accessor, and thus makes it possible to perform a joint editing and the like by a plurality of accessors, maintaining security of the document.
In the document management apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is acceptable that said access permitting means permits a transmission of the document to said display editing unit independently of setting up of right of access for each structured part of the document, and permits a rewriting of the document stored in said storage unit into a document after edited in said display editing unit on only structured parts of the document, for which permission of access is set up in accordance with the accessor ID entered through said display editing unit.
This feature makes it possible for an accessor to refer to a document portion on which the accessor has no right to edit, for the purpose of confirmation of the context and the like.
In the document management apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is also acceptable that said access permitting means permits a transmission of the document to said display editing unit on only structured parts of the document, for which permission of access is set up in accordance with the accessor ID entered through said display editing unit.
This feature makes it possible to emphasize security, since accessors may not be able to change and/or access certain parts.
In the document management apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is also acceptable that said access right setting up means sets up right of access in association with an accessor ID and in addition directly in association with each structured part of the document stored in said storage unit.
Alternatively, it is acceptable that the document management apparatus further comprises document structure alteration means for altering a structure of the document prior to transmitting the document to said display editing unit, wherein said access right setting up means sets up an alteration format of the structure of the document for each structured part of the document and for each accessor ID by said document structure alteration means in such a manner that a structure altered document, in which the structure of the document is altered by said document structure alteration means, includes only structured parts permitted in access according to the accessor ID entered through said display editing unit.
Further, it is acceptable that the document management apparatus further comprises display format control means for controlling a display format of the document prior to displaying the document on said display editing unit,
wherein said access right setting up means sets up a display format of the structure of the document for each structured part of the document and for each accessor ID by said display format control means in such a manner that a display document, in which the display format of the document is controlled by said display format control means, includes only structured parts permitted in access according to the accessor ID entered through said display editing unit.
In the document management apparatus according to the present invention as mentioned above, while it is acceptable that all the components of the apparatus are arranged in a single unitary body, it is also acceptable that said storage unit is connected via a communication network to said display editing unit.
Further, to accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to the present invention, there is provided a document management program storage medium storing therein a document management program having access right setting up means for setting up right of accessing to the document for each structured part of the document and for each accessor ID, and access permitting means for permitting an access on only structured parts of the document permitted in access according to the accessor ID entered.
In the document management program storage medium according to the present invention as mentioned above, it is acceptable that said access permitting means permits a read out or a transmission of the document independently of setting up of right of access for each structured part of the document, and permits a rewriting of the document into a document after edited on only structured parts of the document permitted in access according the accessor ID entered. Alternatively, it is acceptable that said access permitting means permits a read out or a transmission of the document on only structured parts of the document permitted in access in accordance with setting up of right of access, in association with the accessor ID entered.
Further, it is also acceptable that said document management program further comprises document structure alteration means for altering a structure of the document, and wherein said access right setting up means sets up an alteration format of the structure of the document for each structured part of the document and for each accessor ID by said document structure alteration means in such a manner that a structure altered document, in which the structure of the document is altered by said document structure alteration means, includes only structured parts permitted in access according to the accessor ID entered.
Furthermore, the said document management program further comprises display format control means for controlling a display format of the document, wherein said access right setting up means sets up a display format of the structure of the document for each structured part of the document and for each accessor ID by said display format control means in such a manner that a display document, in which the display format of the document is controlled by said display format control means, includes only structured parts permitted in access according to the accessor ID entered.